You may know the American Quarter horse and the Clydesdale, but have you ever heard of a Priob or a Novokirghiz? There are more horse breeds around the world than you may realize, each with traits and characteristics unique to the purpose for which they were bred.
The world of horses is diverse and expansive. There are over 350 horse breeds around the world. Some of them are so popular they can be found on almost every continent, while others are so rare they are approaching extinction. Following is a list of every horse breed that can be found around the globe, broken into categories of light riding horses, draft horses, warmbloods, and ponies.
Every Light Riding Horse Breed from A-Z
The following horse breeds are ones used primarily for riding – either for competition, for pleasure, or for ranch work. Most light riding horses are between 14 and 16 hands high and weigh 900 – 1,200 pounds. The most popular light riding horse breed is the American Quarter horse, of which more than six million have been registered. Light riding horses are incredibly popular and versatile, and this is the largest of the horse breed categories I’ll have listed.
- Abaga
- Aegidienberger
- Akhal-Teke
- Albanian
- Altai
- American Bashkir Curly
- American Paint Horse
- American Quarter Horse
- American Saddlebred
- Andalusian
- Appaloosa
- Arabian
- Arenberg-Nordkirchen
- Asturcon
- Australian Stock Horse
- Axios
- Azerbaijan
- Azteca
- Baise Horse
- Balearic Horse
- Balikun Horse
- Baluchi Horse
- Banker Horse
- Barb
- Bardigiano
- Bashkir Horse
- Belgian Trotter
- Bhutia Horse
- Boerperd
- Bosnian Mountain Horse
- British Appaloosa
- Brumby
- Budyonny Horse
- Burmese Horse
- Calabrese Horse
- Camargue Horse
- Camarillo White Horse
- Campeiro
- Campolina
- Canadian Pacer
- Carolina Marsh Tacky
- Carthusian Spanish Horse
- Castillonnais
- Catria Horse
- Cavallo Romano della Maremma Laziale
- Chaidamu Horse
- Chernomor Horse
- Cheval Canadien
- Chilean Horse
- Chinese Mongolian Horse
- Choctaw Horse
- Cleveland Bay
- Colorado Ranger
- Coldblood Trotter
- Corsican Horse
- Costa Rican Saddle Horse
- Criollo Horse
- Cuban Criollo
- Cumberland Island Horse
- Curly Horse
- Danube Delta Horse
- Dareshuri
- Dartmoor Pony
- Datong Horse
- Dongola Horse
- Ethiopian Horse
- Estonian Native
- Fleuve
- Florida Cracker Horse
- Foutanke
- Frederiksborger
- French Trotter
- Galiceno
- Galician Pony
- Georgian Grande
- Giara Horse
- Gidran
- Hackney Horse
- Haflinger
- Heck Horse
- Heihe Horse
- Henson Horse
- Hequ Horse
- Hirzai
- Hispano-Arabe
- Icelandic Horse
- Indian Country-bred
- Iomud
- Italian Trotter
- Jaca Navarra
- Jeju Horse
- Kabarda Horse
- Kaimanawa Horse
- Kalmyk Horse
- Karabair
- Karabakh Horse
- Karachai Horse
- Kathiawari Horse
- Kazakh Horse
- Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse
- Kiso Horse
- Kladruber
- Knabstrupper
- Koheilan
- Konik
- Kuda Padi
- Kyrgyz Horse
- Lipizzaner
- Ljutomer Trotter
- Lokai
- Lombok Horse
- Losino Horse
- Lusitano
- M’Bayar
- M’Par
- Malopolski
- Mallorquin
- Mangalarga
- Maremmano
- Marismeno
- Marwari
- McCurdy Plantation Horse
- Menorquin Horse
- Merens Horse
- Miquelon Horse
- Misaki Horse
- Missouri Fox Trotter
- Monchino
- Mongolian Horse
- Monterufolino
- Morab
- Morgan
- Moriesian
- Mountain Pleasure Horse (Old Kentucky Saddler)
- Murgese
- Mustang
- Namib Desert Horse
- Nangchen Horse
- National Show Horse
- Nez Perce Horse
- Nokota
- Noma Uma
- Nooitgedachter
- Nordlandshest
- North American Single-footing HOrse
- Norwegian Fjord
- Novokirghiz
- Orlov Trotter
- Pampa Horse
- Paso Fino
- Pentro Horse
- Persano Horse
- Peruvian Horse
- Pintabian
- Pleven
- Polish Arabian
- Pottok
- Priob
- Przewalski’s Horse
- Purosangue Orientale
- Qatgani
- Quarab
- Quarter Pony
- Racking Horse
- Retuerta Horse
- Riwoche Horse
- Rocky Mountain Horse
- Russian Don
- Russian Trotter
- Samolaco Horse
- Sanfratellano
- Santa Cruz Island Horse
- Sarcidano Horse
- Sardinian Anglo-Arab
- Sella Italiano
- Senner
- Shagya Arabian
- Shan Horse
- Siciliano Indigeno
- Sindhi Horse
- Smokey Valley Horse
- Sorraia
- Spanish Jennet Horse
- Spanish Mustang
- Spanish Trotter
- Spiti
- Spotted Saddle Horse
- Standardbred
- Taishu Horse
- Tawleed
- Tennessee Walking Horse
- Tersk Horse
- Thoroughbred
- Tokara Horse
- Tolfetano
- Tushetian Horse
- Tuva Horse
- Ukrainian Riding Horse
- Unmol Horse
- Uzunyayla
- Ventasso Horse
- Virginia Highlander
- Vyatka Horse
- Walkaloosa
- Warlander
- Xilongol Horse
- Yili Horse
- Yonaguni
- Zaniskari
- Zakynthos
- Zemaitukas
Every Draft Horse Breed from A-Z
A draft horse is a breed developed for size and strength. They have historically been (and are still to some degree) used in agriculture, forestry, and mining. Many of these horses are upward of 2,000 to 3,000 pounds in weight and have unsurpassed pulling power (watch the videos online of draft horses pulling 18-wheelers out of the snow!). Some draft horses are further categorized by their size into “light drafts” and “medium-heavy drafts”. Draft breeds are also used today in tourism to pull carriages, and in some countries are used for meat.
- Adaev (light draft)
- American Belgian Draft
- American Cream Draft
- American Sugarbush Harlequin Draft
- Andravida (light draft)
- Ardennais
- Australian Draught
- Auvergne (light draft)
- Auxois
- Basque Mountain Horse
- Belgian Draught, also called the Brabant
- Black Forest Horse (light draft)
- Boulonnais Horse
- Breton Horse
- Burguete Horse
- Byelorussian Harness Horse
- Clydesdale
- Comtois Horse
- Croatian Coldblood
- Dole Gudbrandsal
- Dutch Heavy Draft
- Estonian Draft
- Finnhorse (light draft)
- Freiberger (light draft)
- Friesian (light draft)
- Groningen Horse (light draft)
- Gypsy Vanner (light draft)
- Hispano-Breton (light draft)
- Irish Draught
- Italian Heavy Draft
- Jutland Horse
- Kustanair (light draft)
- Lithuanian Heavy Draught
- Medimurje Horse
- Messara (light draft)
- New Altai
- Nivernais
- Nonius (light draft)
- Noriker
- Norman Cob (light draft)
- North Swedish Horse
- Novoolexandrian Draught
- Percheron
- Poitevin
- Posavac
- Rhenish German Coldblood
- Russian Heavy Draft
- Schleswig Coldblood
- Shire
- Slovenian Coldblood
- Sokolski Horse
- South German Coldblood
- Soviet Heavy Draft
- Suffolk Punch
- Swedish Ardennes
- Trait Du Nord
- Vlaambperd (light draft)
- Vladimir Heavy Draft
Every Warmblood Horse Breed from A-Z
A warmblood horse is also called a sport horse. These breeds are used almost exclusively in the disciplines of show jumping, dressage, and the sport that combines those two – eventing. The term “warmblood” comes from the breeds used in their development. These horses originate from the crossing of horses known for their “hot-blooded” temperaments like Thoroughbreds and Arabians with horses known for their “cold-blooded” temperaments (meaning, in this sense, calm and easy-going) like draft horses.
- American Warmblood
- Austrian Warmblood
- Bavarian Warmblood
- Belgian Sport Horse
- Belgian Warmblood
- Brandenburger
- Brazilian Sport Horse
- British Warmblood
- Czech Warmblood
- Danish Warmblood
- Dutch Harness Horse
- Dutch Warmblood
- East Bulgarian
- Furioso-North Star
- Gelderlander
- Hanoverian
- Holsteiner
- Hungarian Sport Horse
- Irish Sport Horse
- Kinsky Horse
- Kisber Felver
- Latvian Horse
- Luxembourg Warmblood
- Mecklenburger
- Oldenburger
- Rhinelander
- Romanian Sporthorse
- Salernitano
- Selle Francais
- Silesian
- Stonewall Sporthorse
- Swedish Warmblood
- Swiss Warmblood
- Tori Horse
- Trakehner
- Westphalian
- Wielkopolski
- Wurttemberger
- Zangersheide
- Zweibruker
Every Pony Breed from A-Z
A pony is a small horse – specifically, a horse that is under 14.2 hands high. Ponies can be found just about everywhere and are prized for the work they can perform on fewer calories than a standard-sized horse will require. Ponies also make popular children’s mounts in lesson barns, petting zoos, and backyards. While some, like the Miniature horse, are suitable only for the smallest of riders, larger ponies can be comfortably ridden by smaller adults. The following pony breeds are known for their smaller stature and big hearts.
- American Miniature Horse
- American Shetland Pony
- American Walking Pony
- Anadolu Pony
- Assateague
- Australian Pony
- Australian Riding Pony
- Bali Pony
- Basuto Pony
- Batak Pony
- Bhirum Pony
- Bosnian Pony
- British Spotted Pony
- Burmese Pony
- Camargue Horse
- Canadian Rustic Pony
- Caspian Horse
- Chincoteague Pony
- Chinese Guoxia
- Coffin Bay Pony
- Connemara
- Czechoslovakian Small Riding Pony
- Dales Pony
- Danish Sport Pony
- Dartmoor Pony
- Deli Pony
- Dulmen Pony
- Eriskay Pony
- Esperia Pony
- Exmoor Pony
- Falabella
- Faroe Pony
- Fell Pony
- French Saddle Pony
- Galician Pony
- Garrano
- Gayoe
- German Riding Pony
- German Classic Pony
- Gotland Pony
- Guizhou Pony
- Hackney Pony
- Haflinger
- Highland Pony
- Hokkaido Pony
- Hucul Pony
- Icelandic Horse
- Java Pony
- Karelian Pony
- Kerry Bog Pony
- Lac La Croix Indian Pony
- Landais Pony
- Lijiang Pony
- Lundy Pony
- Manipuri Pony
- Merens Horse
- Miyako Pony
- Namaqua Pony
- Narym Pony
- New Forest Pony
- Newfoundland Pony
- Peneia Pony
- Petiso Argentino
- Pindos Pony
- Poney Mousseye
- Pony of the Americas
- Quarter Pony
- Sable Island Pony
- Sandalwood Pony
- Shetland Pony
- Skyros Pony
- Sumba Pony
- Tibetan Pony
- Timor Pony
- Welara
- Welsh Pony
- Western Sudan Pony
- Yakutian Horse
The Expansive World of Horse Breeds
It is estimated that there are around 60 million horses around the globe. To my knowledge, horses can be found in every country of the world. The only continent without a regular equestrian presence is Antarctica (though equestrian explorations have successfully taken place at the South Pole, so we can’t say a horse hoof has never touched the ice of Antarctica).
These 60 million horses are broken up into a lot of different breeds. If you haven’t heard of even half of them, that’s probably just because of your geography. The American Quarter horse is the most popular horse breed in the United States, but the following breeds are the most popular in other countries:
Hequ – the most popular horse in China
Mangalarga Marchador – the most popular horse in Brazil
Orlov Trotter – the most popular horse in Russia
Marwari – the most popular horse in India, though the Sindhi horse may soon secure that spot
Noma Uma – the most popular horse in Japan
I hadn’t heard of many of the horse breeds listed here, so perhaps that means I need to start traveling more! Wouldn’t it be an adventure to travel the world, riding the native horses on the way? For now, I’ll settle for researching more about some of these elusive breeds, as I’ve never failed to be captivated by different horse breeds and the cultures in which they were developed.